Things are still a long way off, but the improved processor and better touchscreen help make the new Kindle Paperwhite a much slicker experience in day to day use.
Design and Hardware
The Kindle is about as simple as it gets when it comes to electronics design. There is a concerted effort here to do away with any unnecessary hardware and leave the device to touchscreen operation only.
The only physical button you will find on the Paperwhite is a single lock key at the bottom of the display. Everything else is done via touch inputs.
Initially we found ourselves longing for the simple forward and back keys of conventional Kindles, but after a while, using our fingers to scroll between pages was fine.
Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite
The main point of the Paperwhite is its backlight, which makes the new Kindle absolutely ideal for reading in low light environments. It’s so subtle, that you will at times forget it’s even there.
For us, the real winning moment was when we were testing the tablet on a night flight recently, the backlight being so subtle that we completely forgot it was there, while the Kindle user next to us had to switch on the overhead light.
Brightness can be controlled via the reader’s display and only really needs to be put up to higher power levels in especially dark environments.
Amazon says it has increased contrast levels for this new Paperwhite. To be honest, we were already happy with the white on black of previous versions and the difference here is so subtle, that most won’t notice.
What you will spot however is the way that light spreads evenly across the Kindle’s screen. The previous Paperwhite had localised dark spots which detracted slightly from its quality feel. Now the lighting used is evenly spread across the page.
The actual unit itself is like the previous generation Kindle Paperwhite. It has a matte black back and is compact at 169 mm x 117 mm x 9.1 mm with a weight of just 206 grams.
It’s not a difficult product to transport about and while we know the bezel around its 6-inch screen is there to make it easier to hold, we do feel Amazon could get the size down even lower.
The usual monthly charging approach to Kindles needs to be taken here, however you can get away with even longer if you only switch on Wi-Fi to download books. Those who want to use the Reader’s experimental web browser will find that the device doesn’t last as long.
Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite has a new X-Ray feature
All in all, the only marked improvement over last year’s Paperwhite hardware is with the screen, which is more responsive and better lit.
User interface and software
As much as Amazon wants you to think otherwise, the Kindle Paperwhite cannot rival a normal tablet for user experience. The benefit here is battery life and the display, not the slick UI of something like iOS or Android.
Page refresh has been bettered for the new Paperwhite. Now the device’s screen will flash and refresh roughly every 13 pages, rather than the six on previous iterations. It’s a subtle difference but one that definitely streamlines the user experience quite a bit.
The touch input on the new Paperwhite is perfectly adequate for things like typing or tweaking the brightness of the backlight. Rarely did it mis-judge any input that we made. Like the last Paperwhite, it’s the page refresh that makes this device feel like an eReader, not its touch screen experience.
If you have used the last Paperwhite, everything is going to be familiar in terms of user interface, but for those who haven’t, here is a brief explanation of what you get.
In essence, the whole Kindle experience is geared up for reading. The home page of each Kindle will show you at a glance pics of books in your library, as well as suggestions that can be downloaded from the Amazon store.
A quick navigation bar at the top of the homepage lets you do things like adjust brightness, or head straight to the Kindle Store to download books.
While reading, there is a ‘Go To’ option that allows you to quickly skip to any specific text that might be stored on your Kindle. It’s also possible to increase and decrease text size, share thoughts to social networks and even use a special X-ray mode, which is an academics dream.
Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite has a new X-Ray feature
X-Ray can help you explore themes and and motifs that run within a text, even letting you see biographies of individual characters within a book. It’s a very impressive feature.
Obviously the real killer app of the Kindle is it’s access to Amazon’s own ecosystem. The Kindle Store has a vast selection of books on offer, with the actual process of purchasing and storing texts on the Paperwhite being very simple.
It’s also worth remembering, that books bought from Amazon can be used on other devices via your account. Say you forget the Paperwhite one day on the way to work, you can still read your book on an iPhone. The page you last read will even be synced across different devices.
Amazon Prime subscribers will find a 350,000 strong library of books that can be borrowed, so you don’t even need to dish out full price for a text. Basically, if you are into reading, Amazon has it covered.
The competition
The closest competitor to the Kindle Paperwhite is the Kobo Aura. It’s main issue over Amazon’s device is the touch response you get. Quite simply, the user experience isn’t as smooth and slick.
the Kobo Aura HD e-reader
Alternatively you have the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight. This device has just been given a UK price cut and can now be bought for as little as £49. It’s a very good product for the money and well worth considering. Amazon’s ecosystem is a touch better however.
Verdict
The new Kindle Paperwhite is a bit like one of Apple’s ‘S’ upgrades. The faster processor and better edge lighting does make for a slicker experience, but one that is only marginally better than last year’s device.
As such, if you don’t own a Kindle, then this is the eReader for you. If however you already have one of Amazon’s devices, then perhaps hold out on the new Paperwhite for a price drop. The backlight does make the upgrade worth it for older generation Kindle users however.
To summarise, the Kindle Paperwhite is fantastic for reading and little else. It does exactly what you would want of an eReader, better than the competition. It’s no iPad mini, but then it isn’t intended to be. For reading fans, this is a must have.
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